Inhalant package

ABSTRACT

A wrapper having a central absorbent area is wrapped around a frangible ampoule containing an inhalant. The absorbent area substantially surrounds the ampoule, and the wrapper projects from the opposite ends of the ampoule. A pressure sensitive adhesive on the inner surface of the wrapper around its central area sticks the inner end of the wrapper to the ampoule and also sticks the outer end of the wrapper to its own outer surface. The projecting portion of the wrapper at each end of the ampoule is flattened on itself to form flat layers of wrapper stuck together by the adhesive. The portion of the wrapper surrounding the ampoule is porous so that when the ampoule is broken fumes or vapor therefrom can escape through the wrapper.

United States Patent 91' Vessalo [111 3,856,142 [451 Dec. 24, 1974INIIALANT PACKAGE [75] Inventor: William V. Vessalo, Irwin, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Mine Safety Appliances Company,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

22 Filed: Jan. 24, 1973 [21 App1.No.: 326,166

' [52] US. Cl 206/530, 128/272, 206/438,

[51] Int. Cl A6lm 15/00, B65d 85/42 [58] Field of Search 206/56 AA, 63.2R, 46 CC, 206/0.5; 128/200, 272

11/1954 McGredy 206/56 AA Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr.Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brown, Murray, Flick & Peckham [57] ABSTRACT Awrapper having a central absorbent area is wrapped around a frangibleampoule containing an inhalant. The absorbent area substantiallysurrounds the ampoule, and the wrapper projects from the opposite endsof the ampoule. A pressure sensitive adhesive on the inner surface ofthe wrapper around its central area sticks the inner end of the wrapperto the ampoule and also sticks the outer end of the wrapper to its ownouter surface. The projecting portion of the wrapper at each end of theampoule is flattened on itself to form flat layers of wrapper stucktogether by the adhesive. The portion of the wrapper surrounding theampoule is porous so that when the ampoule is the wrapper.

3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEB DEC24|974 sum 1 o 2 INHALANTPACKAGE Glass ampoules or vials containing a liquid that will vaporizeor give off fumes when released are known. One of the most commonampoules is the ammonia inhalant ampoule. To protect the fingers frominjury when the ampoule is broken or crushed and to absorb the releasedliquid, it is customary to enclose the ampoule in a flexible absorbentcover. A label, carrying information regarding the contents and use ofthe ampoule, is wrapped around the cover. The cover and the label areapplied to the ampoule in succession and therefore require two differentoperations.

It is an object of this invention to provide an ampoule or the like witha special wrapper that not only encloses or covers the ampoule, but alsoserves as a label. Another object is to provide an inhalant package thatcan be quickly assembled.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 IFIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing a number of ampoule labelscarried by a tape;

bels;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the beginning of the wrapping of anampoule in a label; 1-

FIG. 4 is a perspective view ofthe label completely wrapped around theampoule;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end view of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a perspective viewof the completed pack- FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing thebeginning of the wrapping of an ampoule in a modified embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged end view of the wrapped ampoule; and

FIG. 9 is an end view of the completed package.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a tape 1 of indefinitelength carries a plurality of rectangular labels 2 that are stuck to thetape by a pressure'sensitive adhesive previously applied to the labels,the surface of the tape being such that the labels can readily be peeledaway from it. Each label carries the usual information (not shown)applicable to the ampoule to which the label is to be applied. Appliedto the back or inner surface of each label is a thin layer of absorbentmaterial 3. This layer also is rectangular, but considerably smallerthan the label so that it will be spaced inwardly from all four edges ofthe label. The label and absorbent material form an ampoule wrapper. Theabsorbent material may be fabric, fiber, foamed synthetic resin or aresinous pad formed by applying a liquid resin to the label and thencuring it to form absorbent material. If the absorbent material is inthe form of a separate pad as shown, it is held in place by slightlyoverlapping the inner edge of a band of the pressure sensitive adhesive4 that extends around the marginal portion of the label.

' It is this adhesive that temporarily holds the label on the tape. Thelabel may be cloth, but if it is impervious material such as paper, thearea of the label covering the absorbent pad is provided withperforations 5 so that fumes or vapors canpenetrate the label. This arealikewise could be covered with the adhesive, but it is preferred nottodo so in order to be sure that the perforations will not be clogged byadhesive.

To make the inhalant package, a vial or ampoule 7 (FIG. 3) of glass orother frangible material is filled FIG. 2 is a view of the reverse sideof one of the lawith the liquid, such as ammonia; that will provide thedesired inhalant. The ampoule may be cylindrical or oval in section. Itsopposite ends generally will be rounded or more or less pointed. Theampoule is sub stantially the same length as absorbent pad 3. The labelwith its absorbent pad is stripped from the carrying tape 1 and placedface down on a. support. The ampoule then is laid on the adhesive bandat one side of the absorbent pad. As shown in FIG. 3, this will be theinner end of the label that will stick to the ampoule and follow it asit is rolled across the pad to wrap the label around the ampoule. Thelabel is just long enough for its outer end to overlap its inner end sothat the adhesive at the outer end will stick to the outside of theinner end of the label as shown in FIG. 5. At this time the package hasa cylindrical appearance as shown in FIG. 4, with the label projectingfrom the opposite ends of the ampoule.

The only further operation required to complete the package is to pinchtogether the projecting portion of the label at each end of the ampoulein order to flatten it on itself so that there will be flat layers oflabel stuck together by the adhesive as shown in FIG. 6. The operationsjust described are readily susceptible to being automated. There is onlythe one wrapping operation and the single cover for the ampoule. Noadditional label is required for the package because all of thenecessary information can be printed on the flat label before it isapplied to the tape. When the package is struck or pinched or bent tocrush or break the ampoule, its contents are released and will saturatethe absorbent pad, from which they will vaporize and escape throughtheperforations 5 in the label so that the fumes can be inhaled.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the wrapper is made in onepiece instead of from two pieces stuck'together. Also, in this case thewrapper I0 is a rectangular piece of cloth or porous fabric that is longenough to be wrapped around an ampoule 11 a sufficient number of timesto provide the desired absorbency for the inhalant when the ampoule isbroken. Like the label in the first embodiment, the marginal area of theinner surface of the wrapper carries a pressure sensitive adhesive 12.The ampoule is rolled up in the wrapper, the inner end of which sticksto the ampoule and the outer end of which sticks to the outer surface ofitself as shown in FIG. 8. The projecting ends of the wrapper then aresqueezed together to flatten them as shown in FIG. 9. The outer surfaceof the fabric wrapper can carry the printed matter desired for labelingthe package.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple of my invention and have illustrated and described what I nowconsider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have itunderstood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated anddescribed.

I claim:

1. An inhalant package comprising a frangible ampoule containing aninhalant, a wrapper having inner and outer surfaces and inner and outerends and a central absorbent area spaced inwardly from the edges of thewrapper, the wrapper being wrapped around the ampoule in engagementtherewith and projecting from the opposite ends of the ampoule, and apressure sensitive adhesive on the inner surface of the wrapper at theopposite ends thereof and along its opposite sides, the

-- adhesive surrounding said absorbent area, the adhesive at the innerend of the wrapper sticking to the ampoule and the adhesive at the outerend of the wrapper sticking that end to the-outer surface of thewrapper, the

projecting portion of the wrapper at each end of the ampoule beingflattened on itself to form flat layers of the wrapper stuck together bythe adhesive, and the portion of the wrapper surrounding the ampoulebeing porous 2. An inhalant package according to claim 1, in

stick the pad to the label.

1. An inhalant package comprising a frangible ampoule containing aninhalant, a wrapper having inner and outer surfaces and inner and outerends and a central absorbent area spaced inwardly from the edges of thewrapper, the wrapper being wrapped around the ampoule in engagementtherewith and projecting from the oppoSite ends of the ampoule, and apressure sensitive adhesive on the inner surface of the wrapper at theopposite ends thereof and along its opposite sides, the adhesivesurrounding said absorbent area, the adhesive at the inner end of thewrapper sticking to the ampoule and the adhesive at the outer end of thewrapper sticking that end to the outer surface of the wrapper, theprojecting portion of the wrapper at each end of the ampoule beingflattened on itself to form flat layers of the wrapper stuck together bythe adhesive, and the portion of the wrapper surrounding the ampoulebeing porous.
 2. An inhalant package according to claim 1, in which saidwrapper is formed from a label and a layer of absorbent material securedto the inner surface of the label and spaced inwardly from the edgesthereof, and said adhesive is carried by the inner surface of the labelaround said absorbent material.
 3. An inhalant package according toclaim 2, in which said absorbent material is a separate pad, and saidadhesive extends under the edges of the pad to stick the pad to thelabel.